Giving Back
by Bramblerose
Summary: Jack Sparrow never cared about returning favors. Take what you can, give nothing back... right? When Jack finds out that Bootstrap Bill is alive, he decided to help the Turner family be reunited, even though there is no profit in it for him. Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

~Prologue~  
The dark waters churned and thrashed at the sides of the Pearl, waves reaching up as though eager for a treat. Barbossa's leering, yellow teeth swam before Bootstrap Bill Turner's rain-filled eyes. Bill wondered if he was crying. It was hard to tell with all the rain.  
"Now, Bootstrap, it's time you learned that there's a new captain aboard this ship," Barbossa sneered, "if I thought there was a better way to teach ye, I would, but ...." his grin broadened, "but I don't think there is, Bootstrap. So I'm afraid you'll have to learn the hard way."  
He turned to his crew and yelled, "Bring out the cannon!" Bill began to feel a grain of fear under all his anger and hatred. He'd thought they would just make him walk the plank. What did they want with a cannon?  
Two large, ugly men grunted and shoved until they had pushed a cannon to the place where the plank would have been, if it had been there. Bill should have noticed it's absence.  
Before Bill had much time to wonder what Barbossa planned to do to him, the four pirates holding him had shoved him foreward. They positioned him next to the cannon, so close to the edge that the toes of his boots stuck out over the roiling water. Bill held his arms stiff, hoping to at least make Barbossa at least have to work a little to tie his hands up. But no one even tried to tie Bill's hands. Instead, he felt something tightening around his ankles. He looked down and had to supress a gasp- Barbossa was laughing at him as two of his crew fastened the cannon to Bill's boots with a heavy leather strap. When they were finished, they poised themselves behind the cannon and Barbossa stood close behind Bill.  
One of the men at the cannon gave a grunt that must have meant 'ready'. Barbossa leaned so close to Bill's ear that Bill could smell his putrid breath.  
"Goodbye, William," he whispered, and shoved as hard as he could, just as his cronies foced the cannon cannon over the edge. As he fell toward the black water, Bill realized why no one had tied his hands. Barbossa wanted to see him flailing uselessly as the weight of the cannon dragged him under. Bill held his arms resoulutely to his sides and instinctively drew a deep breath as he plunged into the ocean.  
Bill had prepared himself for terribly cold water, and brackish salt stinging his eyes. But he felt nothing. Then he remembered. The gold. The curse. For once Bill was glad of it. At least he didn't have to be cold and wet as he died.  
He noticed how exraordinarily long he was suddenly able to hold his breath. He wondered how long it would take before he drowned. Well, he decided gloomily, it was no use to put off his fate. He relaxed.  
And did not drown. The cannon landed with a thud on a rocky ledge in the dark ocean, and Bill settled on top of it. He was alive. Well, perhaps not really alive, but not dead. It seemed that somehow the curse that was numbing Bill of all feeling was also making him immortal. And unless Barbossa and his crew found a way to end the curse, all he had to do was wait for the leather strap to rot away. That might take some time, as it was very tough leather, but that hardly mattered. He had enough time. 


	2. A Pirate's Life

Chapter One~ A Pirate's Life  
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" Annamaria clapped joyfully as the last few notes of Mr. Gibb's fiddle died away and Jack and the rest of the crew, collapsed on the deck.  
"Very good, Captain, very good," she laughed. Sometimes it was nice being the only woman on board the Pearl. All the men were very eager to impress her. Of course, none of them could compare to that Will Turner boy, but to have Captain Jack Sparrow and his entire crew try to outdance each other to catch her eye was rather flattering. And Will was taken... Jack wasn't.  
"Next time you'll join us, Annie," said Jack, grinning at her. It was amazing how even his fake teeth added to his... you know... appeal. Annamaria smiled back at him.  
"We'll see, Captain. Depends on how much rum you give me."  
"That's the spirit!"  
"Aye, that's the only reason I didn't toss Elizabeth overboard and sail off with that Will Turner. He never woulda given me rum."  
The Captain's wide smile deflated a bit. He looked into the distance.  
  
"Nah, he wasn't a drinking man, was he? Not like his father... did you ever meet ol' Bootstrap?"  
"Meet him? No... heard of him, of course, but I never met him."  
"You woulda liked 'im. He wasn't wound so tight as Will, ya know, he lived a pirate's life, but he wasn't a complete scoundrel either. I mean, if you wanted rum, 'e'd give you some, but wasn't the kind to go to Tortuga and drink 'imself into oblivion every time he stopped by. But he did know how to enjoy 'imself"  
"Sounds like I would have liked him... you said he even looked like Will... shame he died."  
"Yeah, shame... shame on Barbossa and his whole goddamned crew!" Jack's voice had more passion in it than Annamaria had ever heard. He sounded downright furious.  
"It's alright, Jack, Barbossa's dead. Dead, shot by you. You've avenged yourself."  
"I've avenged myself, aye, but no one's avenged Bill. And Barbossa got to live another ten years, all cause of that bloody curse...."  
Annamaria started to speak- "Jack, you know he hated living with the- " but stopped. He was staring into the distance again, apparently thinking hard.  
"That bloody curse...." he murmered.  
"What?"  
"Hush up a minute, I'm trying to think... yes... Annamaria!" the Captain jumped up, pulling Annamaria with him and hugging her. "Annamaria, you can meet Bootstrap Bill!"  
"Uh, Captain, I think you had a tad too much rum," she said, squirming away from him.  
"No! Yes! Yes, Annie, he's alive, he got away!!!"  
"Barbossa killed him though..."  
"No he didn't! He threw him into the ocean, right!"  
"Right...."  
"And he strapped a cannon to his bootstraps. It's legend. But Bill was in on that curse too! He stole a peice too, and sent it to Will. So he couldn't die!!!"  
Annamaria shrieked. "But Jack- Captain- isn't he dead now? I mean... the curse is broken, isn't it?"  
"Of course, and so is whatever held Bill to that cannon! All he had to do was swim up when whatever it was disintegrated."  
"Jack, that's brilliant. I'm very happy for you."  
Jack was thinking again. "Annie... don't you think I oughta pay Will back just a little... for saving me twice, you know."  
"He only did it so he could get back Elizabeth," Annamaria muttered, with a distinct note of jealousy in her voice.  
"Not the second time. Second time he risked losing her... and his life... just to repay me. And what I'm thinking of doing for him would benefit us too."  
"What is it?" asked Annamaria, still looking slightly bitter.  
"What say you we go find Bootstrap and reunite him with his son! That'll repay both of them- Bill for sticking up for me and Will for saving me life."  
"And how does it benefit us?" Annamaria said skeptically.  
"Well, he was one of me best friends, a brilliant pirate, and, Annie, I know you'd love to meet 'im too." He looked earnestly up at her. He actually had a fairly sweet earnest look, even though it was never real. "He looks just like Will."  
Annamaria pretended to think for a moment. "All right, then... aye, let's go find him. Where might he be?"  
"Be?" Jack wondered, "Where might he be?" 


	3. Daydreams

Chapter Two~  
Elizabeth Turner. Elizabeth Turner cleared the last dishes off the rich mahogany table, so out of place in the little house. Elizabeth Turner blew a kiss to Will as he left for work at his blacksmith shop two doors down the street. Elizabeth Turner whispered her name to herself over and over as she washed the dishes. Turner... Miss Turner...Elizabeth Turner...Mrs. Turner.....  
She shook her head and started drying the dishes. She had always dreamed of having children, but now that she had to take care of the house herself, she wasn't sure if she wanted to anymore. Cleaning up after just herself and Will was enough work. Not to mention all the extra expense. That was one thing Elizabeth had never planned-- not being the richest young lady in Port Royal. She had known, of course, when she married Will that life would be very different, but she had never really thought about the fact that she wouldn't have any servants. Her father would probably have paid for at least one maid to help Elizabeth, but she didn't want to ask him. He had helped her enough already-- the table was just one of the many wedding gifts he had given to her and Will. She knew he had never truly approved of the marriage, but he had accepted fate and been a very good sport about it. So had Norrington. Elizabeth thought that it really had been rather cruel of her to say she would marry him... she had of course had no intention whatsoever of doing it. But how else could she have persuaded him to save Will?  
The dishes were done in very little time. Elizabeth decided that she was finally beginning to get used to the complex, confusing task of running a home. No children yet, she hoped, because that would only at to the business of her day. She had never really bothered to ponder about days like this... alone all day while Will worked nearly all the daylight hours just to make a living. She had fancied herself and Will going on more wild adventures like the one that had truly brought them together, perhaps sailing the seas, or else adventuring to places on land that were untouched by civilazation.  
Dusting was next. Oh, it was the most boring of chores. Elizabeth had invented entire pirate stories while she dusted, since it took so little concentration. Her mind wandered again. She wanted to save someone in this daydream. If she had been capable of daydreaming about anyone other than Will, she would have made up a thrilling tale of some handsome prince/pirate rescuing his love from an evil prince/pirate. She could never decide if the pirate would be the villain or the hero. Anyways, she could only think of Will, so she was forced to think up another epic about herself and him going on some exciting venture together. Yes... saving someone. Who could she rescue this time?  
Elizabeth's dust cloth knocked a salt cellar off of the table and hurled it toward the door. It bounced off the door and fell onto the wooden floorboards, losing it's lit as it fell. As she knelt to pick up the cellar before sweeping the salt, Elizabeth heard a knock at the door.  
She hastily kicked as much of the salt as she could out of sight before opening the door. When she saw who had knocked, Elizabeth gasped and wondered briefly if this was all part of some new daydream. For there on the doorstep, which so nicely overlooked the ocean, stood Annamaria, the only woman pirate that Elizabeth had ever heard of, and the newly appointed first mate of the Black Pearl.  
"Pick up a pinch of that and toss it over your left shoulder this very instant," ordered the pirate, without so much as a how-do-you-do. Elizabeth frowned at her, but went ahead and performed the old superstition.  
"Good. Hello, Elizabeth, I trust you remember me. I need to talk to your husband."  
"What for?" asked Elizabeth cautiously. She didn't trust pirates. Who could blame her?  
"It's private," said Annamaria abruptly. "I need to see him now."  
"He's at work. Can you tell me instead?"  
"I probably could, but I doubt you would understand. You can listen when I tell William if it's that important to you."  
Elizabeth didn't like being treated like a child. She pouted and straightened her shoulders.  
"Follow me," she asserted, and strode off toward the blacksmith shop.  
Will was at his anvil, hammering at what looked like the beginnings of an axe. He turned around and wiped a strand of sweaty hair out of his eyes.  
"Good mor- oh, hello Elizabeth," he smiled. "What are you doing here...." he scowled when he saw the pirate. "What is she doing here?"  
"Apparently she needs to talk to you. About something private."  
Will was confused. And he looked it. Elizabeth smiled to herself... he had such a cute confused face.  
"It's about your father," said Annamaria. She sounded very businesslike and gruff. Elizabeth guessed that she didn't want to be here.  
"What about him," asked Will. Elizabeth didn't smile this time but... he had such a cute sad face.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow thinks he could be alive," Annamaria answered abruptly. Elizabeth didn't believe her in the least. This was just another plan of Jack's. It had to be. But Will had one of his rare looks of dawning comprehension. Elizabeth decided she would beleive Annamaria after all. Will had such a cute dawning comprehension face.  
"I had thought about that..." said Will. "I had wondered... because he couldn't die, so perhaps he got out. But I doubt dear old Jack would be willing to help me again."  
Elizabeth sighed. Her husband was just so stupid sometimes. Of course, he had a very cute stupid face, but it would be nice if he had just a little common sense. Of course Jack was willing to help them find Will's father. Why else would he have sent Annamaria? The only question was, what would he want in return? Because Captain Jack Sparrow never did anything for nothing.  
"Well," said Annamaria, "he's offered to help you find him. If you want to. He is a pirate after all."  
"Of course I want to," said Will, offended, "he was-- is-- my father!"  
"Meet me at the dock at midnight then," Annamaria said brusquely. And without another word she strode out the door and dissapeared down an alley. 


	4. Midnight on the Dock

Chapter Three~ At the Dock  
The moon was nearly half full as Will and Elizabeth hurried toward the dock. Annamaria was nowhere in sight.  
"Will..." whispered Elizabeth. It was one of her favorite words. She could go for several hours saying nothing but "Will", expressing her feelings by her tone of voice. This time, it was an "I'm not so sure this is a good idea" voice.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Will..." Elizabeth reapeated, and then realized that she was going to have to speak in semi-complete sentences. "Will, do you think... don't you think this might just be another scheme of Jack's? I mean... he's not an honest person. He could be plotting something."  
"Even if he is, we have to see. This is my father he's saying he can help me find. My father... he's the only family I have left. Except for you, of course." He kissed her on the cheek and gently took her hand.  
"But Will..." This time Elizabeth's voice was pleading.  
"I have to find out, Elizabeth. There is no other choice."  
Elizabeth felt his had tighten around hers. She sighed... he had such a cute determined face. She wondered if he had looked like that when he was trying to save her. Oh... she hoped he had. It was adorable.  
"Will..." Now she used her best admiring and loving croon. She wanted to kiss him... she would have... but a sharp voice interrupted her before she could really make a move.  
"William? Follow me."  
Will whirled around in the dark until he saw Annamaria, who had emerged from behind a stack of crates. She nodded curtly when she saw that she had caught his eye, and strode away, toward a tall cliff that served as a wall around a small natural harbor. Will hurried after her, with Elizabeth at his heels. She was still unsure about all this, but it was starting to feel like one of her adventurous daydreams, and she began to wonder if she might actually enjoy it.  
Annamaria led the Turners to the cliff.  
"You might have to get your skirt wet," she said scornfully to Elizabeth. Elizabeth sighed. Annamaria was just jealous, that had to be it. She was still acting like Elizabeth was some pampered little princess, despite her curren occupation as cook/maid/butler of her own house. And even when she was rich and pampered, she hadn't been afraid to get her skirt wet. Or to fight with hideous skeletal pirates that couldn't even be killed.  
Elizabeth could hardly see Will and Annamaria as they clambered over rocks that rose like miniscule islands in the shallow water. The moon had been covered by a thick wall of cloud, and it didn't look like it would be returning that night. Finally Annamaria whispered,  
"The Pearl is just up ahead. I don't know if you can see it. Wait just a minute."  
She picked up a flat stone and skipped it so that it skipped across the water three times. Then she threw a handful of pebbles into the water. In a few seconds, a small light glowed over the water, illuminating the front deck of the Black Pearl and the wary face of Captain Jack Sparrow.  
"Annie?"  
"Aye."  
"Come aboard."  
Annamaria grabbed Will and Elizabeth by the elbows and pulled them to a shabby little rowboat that was pulled up on the sand.  
"Get in," she ordered. Elizabeth obeyed, but she didn't like the aura of that voice. It sounded too much like they were Annamaria's prisoners.  
Annamaria rowed silently to the Pearl. It was hard to see, but by faint starlight Elizabeth and Will could make out the shape of the dark hull of the ship. The end of a rope ladder splashed into the water.  
Once Will and Elizabeth had climbed onto the ship, Jack blew out the candle stub he had been holding.  
"Come on,"he whispered, and swaggered across the deck, pausing next to a trapdoor to see if anyone was following him. No one was. Annamaria was glaring at Will and Elizabeth, who were staring at each other with a dazed look in their eyes. It was rather sickening for Annamaria to watch.  
"Come on," Jack repeated, lifting the trapdoor and dissapearing into it. Annamaria followed. Will broke his gaze away from Elizabeth just in time to see the top of Annamaria's head bobbing under the trapdoor. He grabbed his wife's hand and scurried down after the pirates.  
  
"Alright, I think Annie's told you most of the important facts," said Captain Jack, glancing meaningfully at his first mate.  
"Er... well, I told 'em that Bill was alive... that's what matters, right?"  
The captain looked sternly at her, but then smiled. "Aye, that's what matters. So... are ye coming with us?" Jack asked Will.  
Elizabeth cast Will one last warning look, but he wasn't paying attention to her.  
"Yes," he said, "we both are." Annamaria's smile, which had grown when Will agreed to come, slowly died away. She sighed. Will really was a stick in the mud, no fun at all, but he was nice to look at, and with that protective little priss prowling around him every minute of the day, she'd never even get to feast her eyes. Jack Sparrow was good enough to stare at for a few months... but after a while it would have been nice to have some change. She couldn't wait till they found Bootstrap. Of course, sitting in the ocean for a few years might have disfigured him slightly, but that was still to be found out. In the meantime she could always hope.  
"Excellent! So, I'll tell ye what I know. I'm pretty positive that Bootstrap was dropped somewhere off the coast of Puerto Rico. So that'd be the first place to look. But chances are he got himself hooked up with another pirate crew, so he could be anywhere. But we can start asking around in the area where I've heard he was last seen... a bar in Abago, a small town on Cabo Rojo. So we're leaving tomorrow for Cabo Rojo. I suggest you two scurry back home and pick up some clothes, and then meet back here around four. We leave at dawn, and if yer late, we leave ye, savvy?"  
"Savvy," muttered Elizabeth. She was beginning to feel tired, and the adverture mood was fading quickly. All she felt like doing at the moment was falling into bed, but when she and Will reached home, he insisted that they pack before getting any rest.  
  
~~Sorry, I'm making Elizabeth all dumb and repetive. It's not on pupose. I'm kinda making this up as I go, so if it turns out really stupid, I'm sorry. Hopefully it won't though. I don't really know why I'm bothering to type this down here. I am actually a very clueless kind of person, if you haven't noticed. That's ok though, because I don't know that I'm clueless so I kinda live in this happy little oblivion. (Big word!!!) Well, I think that's enough wasted space. I hafta decide what's gonna happen in the next chapter now... the part I planned is over, I'm just winging it from here. Bye.~~ 


	5. Friends

Chapter Five~ Friends  
Jack heard slow footsteps on the deck behind him.  
"G' morning," he said pleasantly. He was in a very good mood. New adventures always had that effect on him.  
"Morning," answered Will's gloomy voice.  
"What's a matter?" asked Jack. Will sighed. Jack wouldn't know anything about his problem... if a woman was mad at him he just forgot all about her and found another one.  
"Nothing."  
"Ah, whatever. Really, what is it?"  
"It's just... well, Elizabeth thinks I'm being stupid and selfish to agree to come with you. She's furious."  
"See, lad, that's the trouble with women. They're nice for a while, but once they've got ye snared into a marriage, ye can't do nothin' that'll please 'em."  
"Jack, it's not like that! She's wonderful most of the time... she gave up her whole rich, luxurious lifelstyle just to marry me. I just wonder if she might be right. You knew my father... will he want to see me?"  
"Aye, I knew your father, and beleive me, it's likely as not that he's trying to find you 'imself. He'll be just thrilled do see you. And if Elizabeth don't like the arrangements, she can hop in a rowboat and go back to her rich Pappy, can't she?"  
"No! Jack, I... I should've known you'd be like this. It's no use trying to make you understand. We don't hate each other, it's just... never mind. There's nothing you can do." Will turned and began to walk away.  
"Hey, now don't be all downhearted. She'll get over it, you watch. Don't worry yourself about it too much... it'll just encourage her."  
"What do you know? If a woman gets mad at you, she slaps you and you move on to a new one. For me it's not like that. Oh... also... she said Anamaria kept looking at me... was she? I didn't notice."  
"I don't doubt she was. But Anamaria's head over heels for me and she knows it. Tell Elizabeth that." Jack chuckled softly.  
"Fine." Will leaned on the ship's rail and breathed in the salty spray. He had never really realized how beautiful the ocean was.  
"Pretty, isn't she?" asked Jack. For a moment Will thought he was talking about Elizabeth, but when he looked at the captain he was staring into the sunrise with his head tilted to the side.  
"Yes. I almost wish I had been a sailor. Better than smithing, anyway. But then I'd never be home with Elizabeth."  
"You really are in love with her, aren't you? I tell ye, if you had been a sailor, ye could have brought her with ye. So long as the rest of the crew weren't too superstitious. She pines for adventure."  
"What?"  
"You haven't seen it? Every time that girl looks at the sea, she gets a longing sort of look in her eyes. She wants to have an exciting life. Ever since the whole business with Barbossa she's wanted more action. She was a decent fighter, too. Would've made a good pirate."  
Will laughed for the first time that day. "Pirate? Jack, you should have heard her this morning! She was screeching like mad about how awful you are."  
"That just showes how jealous she is of me," said Jack, smiling. "Besides, that's not got anything to do with it. You would've made a fine pirate yourself, but you hated us more than she did."  
"I'm different now. I know better... it's possible to be a pirate and a good man... I can accept it now."  
Jack laughed out loud. "You've got an amazing memory, boy. Now, trot along back to Miss Swann and apologize to her, but go on and mention how exciting and thrilling this venture is likely to be. For it is, you know. All the men on Barbossa's crew had lots of enemies. People who they'd given the gold to, and lots of others who they were just plain cruel to. No one'll stop to hear Bootstrap's story... they'll just try to slit his throat. Likely he's come up with a fake name, to be safer. But once we start asking about him, all his old enemies will hear that we're searching for the last living member of Barbossa's crew. And then the'll start searching too, but for different reasons."  
Well nodded. "Alright. I'll tell her. But can you act a bit less... you know... rougish? And tell Anamaria to keep her eyes to herself?"  
"Course I will. You just settle things with your lady, I'll settle them with mine."  
"Good. Well, I'll go take care of that now, then." He stopped halfway across the deck and turned back for a moment. "Thank you."  
"Thank me? For what? I haven't found your father yet, laddie, and there's a fair chance that we won't be able to."  
"No, I just meant thank you for talking with me... like a friend."  
"Friend? What do you mean- I mean, yes. Yes, Will, you're welcome." Jack watched Will dissapear into his cabin with a look of mingled suprise and pleasure on his face. Who'd a thought of that... Will thought they were friends. They'd saved each other's lives a couple of times each, but friends? Well, thought Jack, maybe they were. Hmm. He decided he liked the idea.  
  
~I know this is getting very boring. Sorry. Next chapter will have something exciting. Just not sure what yet. Still, why should you get all the surprises?~ 


	6. Sombra

Chapter Six~ Sombra  
  
Disclaimer~ Sorry I've been forgetting these. Anyway, I don't own anybody that you saw in PotC. I do own the guy with the eyepatch.  
Elizabeth squinted in the fading light. Yes, she was sure she could see it. A hazy line of green on the horizon. Puerto Rico.  
The land drew slowly nearer for what seemed like years. Elizabeth was sick of being on the ship. It wasn't the ship that bothered her- she was never seasick or dizzy- but the crew. And, of course, the captain.  
"Drop anchor!" shouted Jack. "All hands on deck! We're going ashore!"  
The ship slowed to a stop. Elizabeth, Will, Jack, and Anamaria set off towards the shore in a rowboat.  
"Where exactly are we going, Will?" asked Elizabeth coldly. Will shook his head  
"I don't really know. Jack?"  
"Well, I imagine we'd better start with the places where people like... you know... the kind of people who would know about old pirates of legend and such."  
"Where would we find them?" asked Will.  
"You'll see." Jack smiled secretly.  
When they had reached the shore and hidden the boat in a clump of weeds, Jack led the group to a small town called Sombra. The streets were dingy and dark, and the majority of the shops lining them seemed to be closed, even though it was around six o'clock on a Thursday evening. A young girl carrying a lumpy package hurried past them and vanished down an alley. Will instinctively put his arm around Elizabeth as a group of men who appeared to be very drunk appeared from around a corner.  
"Hey! You sirs!" called Jack, running up to them. "Can you tell me where I can find the nearest tavern?"  
"I could, aye, but why should I?" said the largest of the men gruffly. He and the others laughed loudly before staggering away. But one of them, an old looking fellow with a Q branded on his forehead, hesitated, and eventually turned around to face Jack.  
"Go that way," he whispered, pointing in the direction from which he had just come. "Third alley on the right will lead you right to it. Called the Turtle's Bite. Keep them close to ye," he added, nodding towards Elizabeth and Anamaria. Jack nodded.  
"Thanks to ye Mr...."  
"Never you mind," he muttered and turned to follow his friends.  
"'Ey, Quirk, 'urry up there!" yelled a voice from around the corner. The old man jumped and scurried away after it.  
Jack watched Quirk until he turned a corner and disappeared. Then he snapped back into reality and spun around.  
"This way," he said, pointing down the alley. Elizabeth shook Will's arm off her shoulder, but when he took her hand, she didn't protest. It was nice to feel safe. Especially when the Turtle's Bite came into view. It was crowded and noisy, contrasting to the dreary stillness outside. Will was strikingly reminded of Tortuga. Though the mayhem inside had not yet escalated to the free-for-all fistfight that it had in Tortuaga, there were several smaller fights breaking out all over the tavern, and no one seemed to take much notice. Women in revealing dresses and smudged makeup began to follow the little troupe, eyeing Jack and Will hungrily. Elizabeth clutched Will's hand tighter, and even Anamaria moved a bit closer to her captain.  
Jack shoved his way to the bar.  
"I'd like to order four pints of rum," he asked. The man nodded and shuffled away.  
"Aren't you going to ask him if he knows Bootstrap?" Will hissed.  
"No," Jack answered bluntly. Will glowered.  
The bartender came back with the drinks. Jack began to walk away, followed by Anamaria, but Will (and therefore Elizabeth) didn't move.  
"You, bartender!" Will shouted above the noise as the man scuffed away.  
"Aye?"  
"Have you heard of a man named Bootstrap Bill?"  
The bartender glanced at Will strangely, as though sure he had already had something to drink. He was no the only one to look Will. A shabbily dressed pirate who was sitting all alone in a shadowy corner eyed him as well, unnoticed. He lifted his drink to his lips and took a long swig, never taking his eyes of Will. Or his eye, as it were. His left eye was covered by a strip of gray cloth tied around his forehead. 


	7. Toro

Chapter Seven~Toro  
  
Disclaimer~ I don't own Jack, Will, Ana, Elizabeth, Norrington, or anybody else from PotC. Obviously because if I did I would be writing the real sequel not dumb fanfics.  
  
Jack grabbed Will by the ponytail, pulled him to a table, and practically threw him onto a stool.  
"Stupid boy! I told you, your father had enemies! Many of them are probably here! It's bad enough for you to look exactly like him, without shouting his name to the whole pub!"  
"You're up to something, aren't you, Jack? Why didn't you ask the bartender? You say you're trying to find my father, but you aren't doing much."  
"I was plannin' on looking around and seeing who pays special attention to you. They'll be the ones who knew Bootstrap, whether they be friend or foe. But now everyone knows, and that's not a good thing for us, all right!? Because his friends would have found us, and if any enemies had tried we would at least know who they were. But now, thanks to you, we can't be sure who knows, and we're much more likely to have visitors."  
Will still glared at him. "Don't pretend you can fool me. Elizabeth was right all along. I'm sorry-" he started, but when he turned to look at his wife, she wasn't there.  
"Elizabeth!" he shouted over the clamor. She was nowhere to be seen. But he heard a muffled shriek from the other side of a door.  
"Will!"  
Will hurried towards the door, followed by Jack. He shoved an entire table surrounded by men playing cards out of his way and jerked hard on the door's handle, expecting it to be locked. But it swung open and nearly knocked him off his feet. On the other side there was a dim hallway leading to another door.  
Will started down the hallway, but Jack caught his shoulder.  
"I don't think you should do that," Jack muttered, peering suspiciously down the hallway.  
"What!? Of course I should! I have to save Elizabeth!"  
"Whoever took her could have been baiting you..."  
"I don't care! You can stay if you want, but I'm finding her!" He charged off down the hallway.  
"Kid's gonna kill himself," Jack muttered to himself, and with a groan he followed the young blacksmith.  
Will paused in front of the door at the other end of the hall. This one was locked.  
"Eh, Will? This way," said Jack, pointing to a set of narrow stairs that rose to their right. Will shrugged and ran up the stairs. They led into a dusty, empty room.  
"Eli-"Will began, but Jack clapped a hand over his mouth.  
"Shut up, you idiot!" he let go of Will and looked around the room. The only hiding place he could see was a small closet that appeared to be locked. He tried the door- it was. But for once, Will was rather helpful. He squinted at the floor, and then bent down and pried at one of the floorboards. He pulled hard, and voila, a trapdoor opened silently. Will beckoned to Jack and then descended down a feeble ladder into the darkness below.  
Under the floor, it was nearly pitch black. The only light was a flickering glow that was pinched out as soon as Will and Jack started to move toward it.  
"Now missy," said a gruff, unnecessarily loud voice, "no one will save you. You're mine."  
Jack tried to catch Will before he ran into what was obviously a trap, but Will had already moved toward the sound. Jack heard a sword being drawn.  
"Actually, she's mine, and you can let her go right now!" Will announced into the darkness. He heard a muffled gasp and then a peal of gruff laughter. A candle flickered to life.  
"Thank you, Elizabeth, you've been most helpful," said a shabbily dressed man with an eyepatch. He was standing with three other men, holding a candle. The other two men were clinging onto Elizabeth, who was fiercely trying to escape. She had a dirty cloth tied around her mouth, and her hands were tied behind her back. Her hair was even a bit disheveled, which was a rare occurrence.  
"You, I presume, are Mr. William Turner, Jr.," said the man with the eyepatch. "You really do resemble you father."  
"And you really do resemble a dead horse, but that's beside the point. Let Elizabeth go NOW or I'll kill you." He raised his sword until it was level with Eyepatch's throat.  
Eyepatch laughed. "My name's Toro... that's bull, not horse. And if you think that I care what happens to this wench, you're as foolish as your father was."  
He nodded to one of his cronies, a tall man with no teeth and no hair. This man grunted and pulled out a dagger, which he held to Elizabeth's throat. Will gasped, and Elizabeth stopped struggling.  
"I don't care... but you do. Tell me William, where is you father?" growled Toro.  
"I don't know."  
"Yes you do! Tell me, William! Tell me, or..." the bald man pressed his knife against Elizabeth's neck.  
"I don't know. Honestly."  
"Think about the situation, William. You're alone, and there's no one near enough to hear you call for help. And even if they heard, no one would help you."  
Will glared furiously at Toro, unsure of what to do. Then he heard Jack. It was a relief, even though he wasn't sure how it would help. Jack was good at talking his way out of situations.  
"Actually, Toro, none of that was true. He's not alone, because I am right here, which means that I could hear him, and I will help. And there is also Elizabeth. Never underestimate a woman, mate. They're dangerous creatures."  
Jack stepped into the candlelight. His sword was drawn as well, but he held it loosely and didn't threaten anyone. It would be much safer to get out of this without a fight. Toro frowned at him.  
"Who the hell are you?"  
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And the boy's telling the truth... he doesn't know where Bootstrap is. But I do."  
Will turned and looked at Jack. It was hard to tell if he was making it up or if he really did know. Toro believed him, though, which was a good thing.  
"Where is he?" he demanded.  
"Well, it's not as simple as that. I don't know his exact location, but I can find him. With the help of these two, that is. So I'd be much obliged if you'd let them loose."  
"So I'm just supposed to let you go find the one man I'd most love to see dead and reunite him with his family, eh? Sorry, Jack, but I can't allow that."  
"I never said any of that. I just said we knew the way. I can lead you to him, but as I said, I will need help from these two."  
"Alright, then, if you take me to Bill Turner and I'll let these two live long enough to help you. And that's all the bargaining I'm gonna do."  
"Aye, then, I'll do it. But that's not quite all the bargaining. Neither of your mateys here are to come with us."  
"No! They're both coming." Toro put the candle on a rickety table and drew his sword. "And you aren't really going to lead me to Bill. I know a liar when I see one."  
He lunged at jack, who leaped out of the way just in time. Toro's sword drove into the wall. He wrenched it out and growled.  
"Baldy, stay with the girl. Carny, get the boy!"  
The tall bald man frowned but stayed next to Elizabeth, clutching her arm. The other man, Carny, who was shorter and stockier, roared and charged after Will.  
Jack and Toro were so evenly matched in their fighting skills that Elizabeth almost wished she could watch them. It was very entertaining. They traded taunts and insults as they fought, and both of them did quite a lot of jumping and spinning. But of course, Elizabeth had to watch Will. He was considerably better at fighting than his opponent, but somehow Carny had knocked the sword out of his hand. Luckily for Will, Toro had thrown a candlestick at Jack a minute before, and he picked that up and tried to defend himself with it. It was considerably shorter than a sword, so his fingers were at a much greater risk than usual, but at least he wasn't empty handed. Carny charged at him, cutlass raised, but Will easily deflected the blow and shoved Carny away from him. The fat man fell on top of the candle, and the room went dark.  
Elizabeth saw her chance to live up to her title of "dangerous creature". She kicked Baldy hard in the shins. He bent over, and she tried, in vain, to cut the bonds on her hands with his sword. With a lot of kicking and stomping, she managed to force him to the ground. From there it was easy to cut the ropes off her wrists and grab the sword from Baldy as he lay moaning on the ground. She untied the gag around her mouth and laughed at him. He got up and pulled a gun out of his belt, but not fast enough. Elizabeth bashed his head with the flat of his sword and he fell unconscious to the floor.  
"Elizabeth?" Will asked. He heard Carny rushing up behind him and spun around. "Elizabeth, are you alright?"  
"I'm fine," Elizabeth whispered into the dark, estimating where her husband was from the sound of his voice. She was close enough. Will heard her.  
Soon, with both Will and Elizabeth against him, Carny had joined his friend Baldy on the floor. The only sound now was the clashing metal of Jack and Toro's swords.  
"Toro!" yelled Will. It felt very stupid to have to shout into the darkness, with no real clue where Toro was. "You're alone now! Just give up!" But there was no answer, only more crashing metal, and neither Will nor Elizabeth could help Jack, because they couldn't see him.  
"We have to find that candle," whispered Will. Elizabeth sighed and started feeling the floor. She wished she could see. She was sure that Will would have a cute searching-for-a-candle face. Finally, Elizabeth felt the waxy candle and snatched it out from under a broken table, but there was no way to light it.  
"Lets just go," Will whispered. "Jack can manage on his own." Elizabeth was doubtful, but she grabbed Will's hand and let him lead her to the ladder. It took them quite a while to find it, but once they did it wasn't long before they were back in the room above, with pale moonlight shining down through the one dingy window.  
"Will... do think Jack will get out? I mean, he's a good fighter, but so is that Toro person. And they can't see. Will!"  
The clashing of the swords had stopped. One of the men beneath the trapdoor had given up... but which one? 


	8. Anamaria

Chapter Eight~ Anamaria  
Toro was a vicious fighter. Jack had taken note of that before he had even drawn his sword. Even without the use of his left eye, Toro was wary and he had an aura of alertness. Still... Jack was confident he'd be able to escape. He was Captain Jack Sparrow, after all.  
But as his sword clashed with Toro's over and over, never landing a blow, he began to tire. Toro was persistent and Jack started to worry that he might not get out of this situation. It was a rather new sensation to him... he'd always had a way out before. Or at least a bottle of rum to calm himself. But this time there was nothing but a new strike from Toro to parry.  
The fight wore on and on. Finally, Jack managed to slip into a dark corner for a break. Toro was between him and the trapdoor, but at least he didn't know where he was.  
"Come on out, Sparrow," taunted Toro. "Don't hide like a frightened little bird. That's all you are, isn't it? Not as bold as you look, are you? Come out of your nest and fight like a man."  
Jack seethed. Toro was not going to get away with taunting him like that. He leapt out of his hiding place and lunged toward the place where Toro's voice had been, only to find a sword at his throat.  
"I've got you now, Jack Sparrow," Toro hissed. He drew his blade back slightly, preparing to jab, but suddenly it was fiercely knocked away, leaving a scratch on his collarbone. He looked up to see what had happened, but of course it was pitch dark.  
"Hold still, you!" a familiar voice said sharply. Jack heard Toro grunt as the newcomer pulled him away from Jack and, from the sound of it, tied him up.  
"Anamaria?" Jack asked, not sure whether he wanted it to be her or not. He was very glad someone had showed up, but to be rescued by a woman...? And one of his own crew, too. He could almost hear Gibbs's laughter.  
"Aye, captain, it's me," Anamaria pulled a box of matches out of her pocked and struck one. Jack noticed the candle lying forgotten on the floor and held it up for her to light.  
"Let's go, Ana," he muttered. She wasn't bragging, but there was a very superior look on her face. She hadn't even done any real fighting. Stupid wench. All she had to do was show up at the right moment and look all heroic. She could have been sitting there for half an hour waiting for the opportune moment.  
Jack led Ana up the trapdoor, where Elizabeth and Will were waiting.  
"Jack! Are you hurt!" Elizabeth rushed over to Jack and pouted at the cut on his collarbone. She looked up at Anamaria.  
"What- when- how did you get here?"  
"There's more than one trapdoor into that room," Ana answered, placing herself between Elizabeth and Jack. "And since you two obviously were to busy rejoicing being alive and together again to remember the person who saved you, I had to go rescue Jack."  
"We didn't forget him!" Will burst out angrily. "We thought he'd be able to fend off that Toro character on his own though. Apparently he needed his private whore to come take care of him."  
Anamaria's eyes grew wide with fury, and she reached for her sword.  
"I strongly suggest you rephrase that before I--"  
Jack interrupted and pulled Anamaria away from Will. "Calm down, Ana! Will, like I told Toro, never underestimate a woman. And never ever insult one to her face. 'Specially not this one." He smiled at Anamaria, who scowled back and jerked her arm away from him. Jack nodded as if that had proved his point. "And besides, it's not like Elizabeth hasn't ever saved you." Elizabeth smirked and nodded.  
Will sighed. "I apologize, Anamaria."  
Ana groaned and looked away, unable to bear the idiocy of this boy. Where did Elizabeth get the patience? 


End file.
